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**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Surviving High School is a novel co-authored by vine superstar Lele Pons (and don't worry, I had never heard of her either. I am more of a youtube kind of gal.) and author Melissa De La Cruz. Surviving High School is a standalone young adult contemporary comedy. This book cracked me up. It is certainly not a book to take overly seriously. It is very irreverent, but hilarious! I loved all of the pop culture references, and the main character, Lele is a hoot. She is not the most serious or deep individuals ever to grace the halls of high school, but she cracked me up. I am not really sure if this is based at all on Lele's high school experience, and I don't know what to think if it was...even very loosely. Either way, this is a book to read, laugh and not take too seriously. If you do that, I think you will have a good time.
Surviving High School seems to be a very polarizing book for readers. People have either loved it or intensely disliked it. Honestly, I really enjoyed Surviving High School. I took it for what it is... a pop culture filled, irreverent and sarcastic story about a high school girl. It is kooky and wacky, and I get that may not be for everyone, but I think if you are in the mood to read something that will have you giggling away, this is the book for you. If this is not your cup of tea, then this is certainly not the book for you. But I thought it was a fun ride. Lele is a girl that goes insta-famous on the internet, and we get to watch how that rolls over to her "real-life". I loved this concept because in a world of social media stars, this could be a very real reality for some teens. I have no idea whether it would be this extreme for them or not, but it was fun reading, because it didn't seem so far to stretch for me. Sure it was over the top, but that added to the humor for me.
This book reminded me of Mean Girls, like the summary says, and also It's All Your Fault by Paul Rudnick. It has that same kind of hold nothing back, everyone and everything is fair game contemporary humor. It seemed like every sentence had a pop culture reference of some kind. I love stuff like that because I am kind of a pop culture junkie. (my head is full of all kinds of useless pop culture facts.) It kind of made me want to go watch Lele Pons vine video's to see if they are anything like the book, and to see if the Lele from the book is anything like the real life Lele. I would love to know how much of this overlaps with real Lele's life.
Bottom line: if you are looking for a light hearted read that is not serious at all, check out Surviving High School. Pull up your pop culture wikipedia and get ready to laugh.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Surviving High School is a novel co-authored by vine superstar Lele Pons (and don't worry, I had never heard of her either. I am more of a youtube kind of gal.) and author Melissa De La Cruz. Surviving High School is a standalone young adult contemporary comedy. This book cracked me up. It is certainly not a book to take overly seriously. It is very irreverent, but hilarious! I loved all of the pop culture references, and the main character, Lele is a hoot. She is not the most serious or deep individuals ever to grace the halls of high school, but she cracked me up. I am not really sure if this is based at all on Lele's high school experience, and I don't know what to think if it was...even very loosely. Either way, this is a book to read, laugh and not take too seriously. If you do that, I think you will have a good time.
Surviving High School seems to be a very polarizing book for readers. People have either loved it or intensely disliked it. Honestly, I really enjoyed Surviving High School. I took it for what it is... a pop culture filled, irreverent and sarcastic story about a high school girl. It is kooky and wacky, and I get that may not be for everyone, but I think if you are in the mood to read something that will have you giggling away, this is the book for you. If this is not your cup of tea, then this is certainly not the book for you. But I thought it was a fun ride. Lele is a girl that goes insta-famous on the internet, and we get to watch how that rolls over to her "real-life". I loved this concept because in a world of social media stars, this could be a very real reality for some teens. I have no idea whether it would be this extreme for them or not, but it was fun reading, because it didn't seem so far to stretch for me. Sure it was over the top, but that added to the humor for me.
This book reminded me of Mean Girls, like the summary says, and also It's All Your Fault by Paul Rudnick. It has that same kind of hold nothing back, everyone and everything is fair game contemporary humor. It seemed like every sentence had a pop culture reference of some kind. I love stuff like that because I am kind of a pop culture junkie. (my head is full of all kinds of useless pop culture facts.) It kind of made me want to go watch Lele Pons vine video's to see if they are anything like the book, and to see if the Lele from the book is anything like the real life Lele. I would love to know how much of this overlaps with real Lele's life.
Bottom line: if you are looking for a light hearted read that is not serious at all, check out Surviving High School. Pull up your pop culture wikipedia and get ready to laugh.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
The Society is a young adult standalone suspense by Jodie Andrefski. It deals with one of my favorite young adult subjects- a secret society in a boarding school setting. The Society took a bit of a different twist on the secret society thing. Instead of secrets to uncover from the school, this was a revenge plot. Secrets of a different kind. It was an interesting take on a secret society and it certainly was new and different. The whole thing felt very Scream Queens to me...minus the guy in the mask.
Sam and Jessica are the two main characters of The Society and their relationship and dynamic was actually the most interesting aspect of the entire novel to me. Jessica is the quintessential mean girl to Sam. They used to be best friends but because of some legal issues involving their dads, they had a major falling out. Sam's dad landed in jail, but Jessica's family certainly did not come out of the situation unscathed. What I found to be the most interesting was that as much as Sam wanted to believe that she is the only victim in this whole story, her and Jessica are actually much more similar than either one of them would like to believe. The whole fiasco with their fathers affected both of them. Their families hurt each other. There was no one way road. And yes, Jessica started out as the mean girl, but Sam kind of morphed into her. (although I'm sure Sam's mindset was more of the ends justify the means.) My point is good girl and mean girl roles got a little blurry in this book, which made for a very interesting shades of gray kind of read.
The boarding school setting is a favorite of mine, and I loved it for The Society. This was a fast read for me. (though a few parts in the middle did drag on a bit.) To me, it will be a hit more with plot driven readers, as I didn't find any of the characters particularly lovable. They were interesting, but I didn't end up rooting for any of them too much. I was more interested in seeing what was going to happen next in the story. That is not necessarily a bad thing, just a bit different for me, as I tend to be a more character driven reader.
Bottom line: The Society is a very interesting read. I think it will be great for fans of plot driven stories looking for a secret society read with a twist. It is a solid read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
The Society is a young adult standalone suspense by Jodie Andrefski. It deals with one of my favorite young adult subjects- a secret society in a boarding school setting. The Society took a bit of a different twist on the secret society thing. Instead of secrets to uncover from the school, this was a revenge plot. Secrets of a different kind. It was an interesting take on a secret society and it certainly was new and different. The whole thing felt very Scream Queens to me...minus the guy in the mask.
Sam and Jessica are the two main characters of The Society and their relationship and dynamic was actually the most interesting aspect of the entire novel to me. Jessica is the quintessential mean girl to Sam. They used to be best friends but because of some legal issues involving their dads, they had a major falling out. Sam's dad landed in jail, but Jessica's family certainly did not come out of the situation unscathed. What I found to be the most interesting was that as much as Sam wanted to believe that she is the only victim in this whole story, her and Jessica are actually much more similar than either one of them would like to believe. The whole fiasco with their fathers affected both of them. Their families hurt each other. There was no one way road. And yes, Jessica started out as the mean girl, but Sam kind of morphed into her. (although I'm sure Sam's mindset was more of the ends justify the means.) My point is good girl and mean girl roles got a little blurry in this book, which made for a very interesting shades of gray kind of read.
The boarding school setting is a favorite of mine, and I loved it for The Society. This was a fast read for me. (though a few parts in the middle did drag on a bit.) To me, it will be a hit more with plot driven readers, as I didn't find any of the characters particularly lovable. They were interesting, but I didn't end up rooting for any of them too much. I was more interested in seeing what was going to happen next in the story. That is not necessarily a bad thing, just a bit different for me, as I tend to be a more character driven reader.
Bottom line: The Society is a very interesting read. I think it will be great for fans of plot driven stories looking for a secret society read with a twist. It is a solid read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Pushing her Luck is the first book in the lucky in love series by Audra North. Audra North is a new author to me, though she is probably not new to many people. She has written over 20 books! I need to read more by her now. I had no idea this was part of a series. I thought it was going to be a standalone romance, but I loved it so, so much that I am beyond excited that we get to revisit this world. I am not sure who the book is going to be about, but I am pretty sure I will love it. Audra North has a way with characters and way of pulling on the readers heartstrings in a surprisingly strong way. This is a book that I went into expecting a light and fluffy read. And while it was a great fell- good romance, I would be lying if I said that I didn't get teary eyed once or twice while reading. This is a very special book- one that I really really loved.
The book is told in dual narrative between Riordan and Samantha. Samantha was like a breath of fresh air for me. I don't know what I was expecting (well, that is a lie, yes I do. I was expecting a typical character. You know, either very sweet, or very sassy, or some combination of both.) but Sam took me by surprise in the very best way. This girl is a whirlwind. She comes blowing into Riordan's life full force. She does not slow down for anything. She is so far from my personality in real life, but I couldn't help but love her instantly. She is kooky and more than a little crazy. And I do mean crazy, crazy, but she is also such a great person. I dare you not to smile when you are reading her scenes.
Riordan needed a whirlwind to blow into his life and shake things up. Nothing less would have broken through his walls. This guy has more than a few issues of his own, and I was completely in love with the way that Audra North dealt with them through the story. Their development and his progress in dealing with them was so natural. Nothing was forced. This book was truly a joy to read. It is the kind of book that makes me itch to pick up something else by this author because I want to see what she does with other characters. I was really impressed with Pushing Her Luck. It is a fun book with zany characters, a wonderful romance and lots of heart. You might even cry. (I did.) Pushing her Luck is one of my favorite books of 2016.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Pushing her Luck is the first book in the lucky in love series by Audra North. Audra North is a new author to me, though she is probably not new to many people. She has written over 20 books! I need to read more by her now. I had no idea this was part of a series. I thought it was going to be a standalone romance, but I loved it so, so much that I am beyond excited that we get to revisit this world. I am not sure who the book is going to be about, but I am pretty sure I will love it. Audra North has a way with characters and way of pulling on the readers heartstrings in a surprisingly strong way. This is a book that I went into expecting a light and fluffy read. And while it was a great fell- good romance, I would be lying if I said that I didn't get teary eyed once or twice while reading. This is a very special book- one that I really really loved.
The book is told in dual narrative between Riordan and Samantha. Samantha was like a breath of fresh air for me. I don't know what I was expecting (well, that is a lie, yes I do. I was expecting a typical character. You know, either very sweet, or very sassy, or some combination of both.) but Sam took me by surprise in the very best way. This girl is a whirlwind. She comes blowing into Riordan's life full force. She does not slow down for anything. She is so far from my personality in real life, but I couldn't help but love her instantly. She is kooky and more than a little crazy. And I do mean crazy, crazy, but she is also such a great person. I dare you not to smile when you are reading her scenes.
Riordan needed a whirlwind to blow into his life and shake things up. Nothing less would have broken through his walls. This guy has more than a few issues of his own, and I was completely in love with the way that Audra North dealt with them through the story. Their development and his progress in dealing with them was so natural. Nothing was forced. This book was truly a joy to read. It is the kind of book that makes me itch to pick up something else by this author because I want to see what she does with other characters. I was really impressed with Pushing Her Luck. It is a fun book with zany characters, a wonderful romance and lots of heart. You might even cry. (I did.) Pushing her Luck is one of my favorite books of 2016.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Bodyguard Dearest is a new adult contemporary romance by Alison Foster. This is the first book I have read by Alison, and I have to say I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. I have been really into the bodyguard trope. I loved the strong, silent protector type that we normally get in bodyguard dearest, and the potential for bantering back and forth is always high in these types of books. Both big pluses for me. And I did love that Tanner is for sure the strong silent type. But overall, Bodyguard Dearest turned out to be just an ok read for me.
I liked the first part of the story a lot. Tris and Tanner had a cat and mouse type relationship with no shortage or bickering and bantering. I was really loving it, but then it felt like a switch flipped and they were totally into each other. From then on, the entire mood of the book took an abrubt 180. It was all a little too sudden for me. Don't get me wrong, I did like Tris and Tanner and I loved that once they realized they were into each other, they were all in. There was no putting a wedge between them, which I appreciated. That is not my favorite kind of plot twist. And I do think that Alison Foster did a good job with the writing in Bodyguard Dearest. It was solidly good. It was just the speed at which the plot shifted that caught me by surprise. It was emotional whiplash for me.
Tris and Tanner are both big, strong personalities, so I can see Bodyguard Dearest being a big hit with readers who love that clash of dominant characters. They were fun to read.
Bottom line: If you are a fan of bodyguard stories where both characters are like a lit fuse, this is a book that you will likely enjoy. I liked it, but didn't love it. It was still a good read, and would be great when you are looking for a fast paced action romance.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Bodyguard Dearest is a new adult contemporary romance by Alison Foster. This is the first book I have read by Alison, and I have to say I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. I have been really into the bodyguard trope. I loved the strong, silent protector type that we normally get in bodyguard dearest, and the potential for bantering back and forth is always high in these types of books. Both big pluses for me. And I did love that Tanner is for sure the strong silent type. But overall, Bodyguard Dearest turned out to be just an ok read for me.
I liked the first part of the story a lot. Tris and Tanner had a cat and mouse type relationship with no shortage or bickering and bantering. I was really loving it, but then it felt like a switch flipped and they were totally into each other. From then on, the entire mood of the book took an abrubt 180. It was all a little too sudden for me. Don't get me wrong, I did like Tris and Tanner and I loved that once they realized they were into each other, they were all in. There was no putting a wedge between them, which I appreciated. That is not my favorite kind of plot twist. And I do think that Alison Foster did a good job with the writing in Bodyguard Dearest. It was solidly good. It was just the speed at which the plot shifted that caught me by surprise. It was emotional whiplash for me.
Tris and Tanner are both big, strong personalities, so I can see Bodyguard Dearest being a big hit with readers who love that clash of dominant characters. They were fun to read.
Bottom line: If you are a fan of bodyguard stories where both characters are like a lit fuse, this is a book that you will likely enjoy. I liked it, but didn't love it. It was still a good read, and would be great when you are looking for a fast paced action romance.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**I love a good anthology. There is just something so satisfying about seeing a bunch of wonderful authors sitting down to all write stories centering around a similar theme. It is instant gratification. As soon as you get done with one story, you know you have more great stories after. And with an editor like Stephanie Perkins and authors like Leigh Bardugo, Francesca Lia Block, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle, Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, and Jennifer E. Smith, how can you go wrong? Not to mention the theme is summer love. One of my very favorites for feel good romances. If you haven't guessed it by now, I really, really enjoyed Summer Days & Summer Nights.
Summer Days & Summer Nights features 12 short stories. The book on a whole is about 400 pages, which seems long, but when you divide that into 12, you get about 33-34 pages per story, so you can breeze through each of them really quickly. I devoured this book, and what I found myself doing was reading a story or two here and there in between my full length novels, to spread out my fun and enjoyment.
What I liked most about Summer Days & Summer Nights is that it is a "small but thoughtfully curated" selection of stories that worked really well together. (and for anyone that has read the book, that is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite short stories in the anthology. I think I laughed for 3 straight minutes after reading it. I am still chuckling about it now...) The stories all worked well together, but at the same time, they were all very different. It was just a very fun book.I will say, that there were a surprising number of books on the more somber side, and even though most of them ended on a hopeful note it was certainly unexpected. I thought most, if not all, of the stories would be happy go lucky lighter reads. But I suppose that love is not always happy go lucky in real life. Still, I gravitated towards the lighter, happier stories in this one. (No surprise there.)
I still have not read the Christmas anthology, but after reading Summer Days & Summer Nights, I can't wait. I have heard a few people say that the Christmas one is still their favorite, and that makes me even more excited because I thought this was a very strong anthology. That one must be kick ass!
Bottom line: Fans of anthologies, as well as fans of reading about all the sides and faces of love, should check out Summer Days & Summer Nights. I think there is a little something for everyone in these stories. I really enjoyed it.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Summer Days & Summer Nights features 12 short stories. The book on a whole is about 400 pages, which seems long, but when you divide that into 12, you get about 33-34 pages per story, so you can breeze through each of them really quickly. I devoured this book, and what I found myself doing was reading a story or two here and there in between my full length novels, to spread out my fun and enjoyment.
What I liked most about Summer Days & Summer Nights is that it is a "small but thoughtfully curated" selection of stories that worked really well together. (and for anyone that has read the book, that is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite short stories in the anthology. I think I laughed for 3 straight minutes after reading it. I am still chuckling about it now...) The stories all worked well together, but at the same time, they were all very different. It was just a very fun book.I will say, that there were a surprising number of books on the more somber side, and even though most of them ended on a hopeful note it was certainly unexpected. I thought most, if not all, of the stories would be happy go lucky lighter reads. But I suppose that love is not always happy go lucky in real life. Still, I gravitated towards the lighter, happier stories in this one. (No surprise there.)
I still have not read the Christmas anthology, but after reading Summer Days & Summer Nights, I can't wait. I have heard a few people say that the Christmas one is still their favorite, and that makes me even more excited because I thought this was a very strong anthology. That one must be kick ass!
Bottom line: Fans of anthologies, as well as fans of reading about all the sides and faces of love, should check out Summer Days & Summer Nights. I think there is a little something for everyone in these stories. I really enjoyed it.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Summer of Supernovas is a young adult contemporary romance by Darcy Woods. This is the first book I have read from this author and I have to say it met all of my expectations. (Side note: umm, I just found out that I have not read any books by Darcy because this is her Debut book! Color me shocked. This book felt like a book from a seasoned writer. Now I am even more impressed.) I had such high, high hopes for the book after I read the summary. I love astronomy, and I found it even more fascinating to see such hardcore scientists also be so wrapped up in astrology (another thing I find to be super fun, particularly in books and movies) so I couldn't wait to see the intersection of the two studies. And it didn't let me down at all. Summer of Supernovas is a very fun read, that satisfied my light and fluffy craving for the day.
Wil is the kind of main character that I instantly fall in love with in young adult books. She is smart, and just a little nerdy. Sweet and an overall cool chick. She has this scientist father and a mother that warned her to stay away from guys of certain astrological signs, and right from that moment I knew this book and I were going to click. The whole thing felt very rom com-esque. Totally, right up my alley.
And Wil isn't the only great character in Summer of Supernovas. In fact, everyone in this book was really excellent in their own way. It was a little odd (but in a good way) that there wasn't anyone that I didn't like. And what I liked most of all, was that all of the characters were freakin' different! They had different personalities and different interests and each and every one of them felt real. I know that sounds like a given, but it so, so isn't in a lot of books. I give Darcy huge props for writing really great characters.
There was only one thing that I really could have done with out, and unfortunately it is a spoiler, so click here if you want to see what made my jaw tick in annoyance.Why, oh why did Wil need to mess with brothers. I get that she couldn't initially go for the guy she liked because of her mom's warning, (well, kind of get...) but did she have to instead go for his brother? Not one of my favorite plot twists. It only bothered me, because it just didn't seem necessary to me. But either way, it all worked out in the end. And the story was just as cute, fun and nerdy as I was hoping it would be.
Bottom line: Summer of Supernovas is a perfect beach read. It is a light and fluffy books that fans of romantic comedies should grab when they are looking for something fun to put a smile on their face. And get ready to really connect with the characters. They will become your friends.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Summer of Supernovas is a young adult contemporary romance by Darcy Woods. This is the first book I have read from this author and I have to say it met all of my expectations. (Side note: umm, I just found out that I have not read any books by Darcy because this is her Debut book! Color me shocked. This book felt like a book from a seasoned writer. Now I am even more impressed.) I had such high, high hopes for the book after I read the summary. I love astronomy, and I found it even more fascinating to see such hardcore scientists also be so wrapped up in astrology (another thing I find to be super fun, particularly in books and movies) so I couldn't wait to see the intersection of the two studies. And it didn't let me down at all. Summer of Supernovas is a very fun read, that satisfied my light and fluffy craving for the day.
Wil is the kind of main character that I instantly fall in love with in young adult books. She is smart, and just a little nerdy. Sweet and an overall cool chick. She has this scientist father and a mother that warned her to stay away from guys of certain astrological signs, and right from that moment I knew this book and I were going to click. The whole thing felt very rom com-esque. Totally, right up my alley.
And Wil isn't the only great character in Summer of Supernovas. In fact, everyone in this book was really excellent in their own way. It was a little odd (but in a good way) that there wasn't anyone that I didn't like. And what I liked most of all, was that all of the characters were freakin' different! They had different personalities and different interests and each and every one of them felt real. I know that sounds like a given, but it so, so isn't in a lot of books. I give Darcy huge props for writing really great characters.
There was only one thing that I really could have done with out, and unfortunately it is a spoiler, so click here if you want to see what made my jaw tick in annoyance.
Bottom line: Summer of Supernovas is a perfect beach read. It is a light and fluffy books that fans of romantic comedies should grab when they are looking for something fun to put a smile on their face. And get ready to really connect with the characters. They will become your friends.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**Love Charms and Other Catastrophes is the second book in the magical young adult series, Grimbaud by Kimberly Karalius. The first book, Love Fortunes and Other Disasters was one of my favorite books of 2015. It is the kind of book that puts a perma smile on your face, and Love Charms and Other Catastrophes is no different. You do need to read these books in order, so if you have not checked out the first book yet, you really do need to. The series is set in the magical town of Grimbaud. I love the cover of these books so much, because their whimsical feel helps me imagine Grimbaud with the same touch of whimsy. Does that make sense? The town also reminded me of the Kissing Town from the tv series The Tenth Kingdom (which is an amazing mini series if you have not watched it yet, you need to!) So the entire time I was reading, I was imagining the kissing town with love in the air, everywhere. (After I finished reading the first book, I told the author about this, and she confirmed that kissing town was part of her inspiration for Grimbaud! How exciting is that??)
Love Charms and Other Catastrophes picks up in the wake of the events of the first book. The gang has defeated Zita and all of her evil-ness has fled the town. But, in her place a whole bunch of different charm makers have taken up shop in Grimbaud. Some bad in their own way. Love starts to get a little nervous so he decides a contest is the key. Winner gets to take Zita's spot. Insert, our favorite student charm maker from book 1, Hijiri and you know where this is going.
I will admit that I was a little nervous about this story being about Hijiri. Not because I didn't like her in the first book. I did. But I just felt like I didn't really know her well. She was in the first book a good deal but I had my Fallon and Sebastian blinders on. But man, oh man did Hijiri prove me wrong. I am so happy that we had two plot lines going on. We had the love charm makers competition on one side and Hijiri's love life on the other. And getting to see Hijiri open up to love made her more personable to me. It made me like her. And who wouldn't love Ken. He was hand picked and delivered just for her! I mean come on. That is the stuff of daydreams.
Bottom line: If you liked Love Fortunes and Other Disasters you are going to love Love Charms and Other Catastrophes. It is every bit as fun and magical as the first book. I am completely loving this series. I hope I get to visit the town of Grimbaud many more times. This series is winner.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Love Charms and Other Catastrophes picks up in the wake of the events of the first book. The gang has defeated Zita and all of her evil-ness has fled the town. But, in her place a whole bunch of different charm makers have taken up shop in Grimbaud. Some bad in their own way. Love starts to get a little nervous so he decides a contest is the key. Winner gets to take Zita's spot. Insert, our favorite student charm maker from book 1, Hijiri and you know where this is going.
I will admit that I was a little nervous about this story being about Hijiri. Not because I didn't like her in the first book. I did. But I just felt like I didn't really know her well. She was in the first book a good deal but I had my Fallon and Sebastian blinders on. But man, oh man did Hijiri prove me wrong. I am so happy that we had two plot lines going on. We had the love charm makers competition on one side and Hijiri's love life on the other. And getting to see Hijiri open up to love made her more personable to me. It made me like her. And who wouldn't love Ken. He was hand picked and delivered just for her! I mean come on. That is the stuff of daydreams.
Bottom line: If you liked Love Fortunes and Other Disasters you are going to love Love Charms and Other Catastrophes. It is every bit as fun and magical as the first book. I am completely loving this series. I hope I get to visit the town of Grimbaud many more times. This series is winner.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Hustler is a new adult contemporary romance that takes place in a Las Vegas casino. It is co-authored by Megan Quinn and Jessica Prince. I am not 100% sure, but I think that it is going to be a series, modeled where each of the books is about a different couple. (and if that is the case, I have a very, very strong suspicion who the next book will be about. I liked Hustler. I had a couple of issues with some of characters and the start of the story, but I warmed up to all of them and by the end I was very invested in Gavin and Nell's story. I do have to say, right off the bat, that I don't care for the cover of the book. I just don't love to see naked guys on the cover of books because I think it sends the wrong message. (But that is a whole other discussion.) I am sure that a lot of readers love some eye candy, and while I agree that it is pleasing to the eye, I just don't want to see it on book covers.
I liked Nell right off the bat. I thought she was the perfect amount of spunky and sweet. Gavin, not so much. Don't get me wrong he certainly did grow on me, but at first he got on my nerves. I thought he was too showy, too in your face, too crass, and just plain too much. As he started to genuinely like Nell, I started to like him more and more. That was the best surprise of Hustler for me. Watching my opinion of Gavin change as I read more about him.
Hustler, like Gavin, grew on me the more I read. I ended up rooting for Gavin and Nell. Bottom line: If you like crass, cocky and in your face characters, you and Gavin will hit it off immediately. And if billionaire romances are your thing, I think Hustler is a great read for you to check out. I enjoyed this one. it isn't a favorite of mine, but it is a good read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Hustler is a new adult contemporary romance that takes place in a Las Vegas casino. It is co-authored by Megan Quinn and Jessica Prince. I am not 100% sure, but I think that it is going to be a series, modeled where each of the books is about a different couple. (and if that is the case, I have a very, very strong suspicion who the next book will be about. I liked Hustler. I had a couple of issues with some of characters and the start of the story, but I warmed up to all of them and by the end I was very invested in Gavin and Nell's story. I do have to say, right off the bat, that I don't care for the cover of the book. I just don't love to see naked guys on the cover of books because I think it sends the wrong message. (But that is a whole other discussion.) I am sure that a lot of readers love some eye candy, and while I agree that it is pleasing to the eye, I just don't want to see it on book covers.
I liked Nell right off the bat. I thought she was the perfect amount of spunky and sweet. Gavin, not so much. Don't get me wrong he certainly did grow on me, but at first he got on my nerves. I thought he was too showy, too in your face, too crass, and just plain too much. As he started to genuinely like Nell, I started to like him more and more. That was the best surprise of Hustler for me. Watching my opinion of Gavin change as I read more about him.
Hustler, like Gavin, grew on me the more I read. I ended up rooting for Gavin and Nell. Bottom line: If you like crass, cocky and in your face characters, you and Gavin will hit it off immediately. And if billionaire romances are your thing, I think Hustler is a great read for you to check out. I enjoyed this one. it isn't a favorite of mine, but it is a good read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
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**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
YA ReviewMy ThoughtsThe Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is a young adult contemporary by Lily Anderson. This book was a ton of fun, and I can see comic book lovers swarming to this book. And, by the way, I think this book has the perfect cover. I seriously love it.
The only Thing Worse Than Me is You centers around three best friends- Trixie, Meg and Harper, who all go to a school for smarties. In The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You there is an all out battle for a better class ranking. I get it, class rank was really important to me in high school too. Though, I didn't (and no one did) take it to the extreme that Trixie did, but I appreciated her passion and drive. She is a hoot to read about. Her and her friends are all my brand of quirky and nerdy. I loved all of the fandom talk in The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You. I could relate more to the comic book stuff than the Dr. Who stuff, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. (If you are a Dr. Who fan though, I think your fan girling for this book will be kicked up even more.)
And can we talk about Ben? He just makes me giddy. I loved him so much. Trixie and Ben had some grade A+ banter between the two of them. Just the way I like it. In fact, the only thing I didn't like about Trixie and Ben is that Trixie is Team Iron Man in Avengers Civil War (see below). I will never stray from my Captain America. never.
The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is chocked full of fandom references for various tv shows, comics and movies, and I loved every second of it. If pop culture references are not your thing, then this might not be the book for you. But if you are looking for a book where you can let your nerd flag fly, and at the same time share lots of laughs with some really great characters with an even better friendship, The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is a great book for you to grab.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
YA ReviewMy ThoughtsThe Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is a young adult contemporary by Lily Anderson. This book was a ton of fun, and I can see comic book lovers swarming to this book. And, by the way, I think this book has the perfect cover. I seriously love it.
The only Thing Worse Than Me is You centers around three best friends- Trixie, Meg and Harper, who all go to a school for smarties. In The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You there is an all out battle for a better class ranking. I get it, class rank was really important to me in high school too. Though, I didn't (and no one did) take it to the extreme that Trixie did, but I appreciated her passion and drive. She is a hoot to read about. Her and her friends are all my brand of quirky and nerdy. I loved all of the fandom talk in The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You. I could relate more to the comic book stuff than the Dr. Who stuff, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. (If you are a Dr. Who fan though, I think your fan girling for this book will be kicked up even more.)
And can we talk about Ben? He just makes me giddy. I loved him so much. Trixie and Ben had some grade A+ banter between the two of them. Just the way I like it. In fact, the only thing I didn't like about Trixie and Ben is that Trixie is Team Iron Man in Avengers Civil War (see below). I will never stray from my Captain America. never.
The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is chocked full of fandom references for various tv shows, comics and movies, and I loved every second of it. If pop culture references are not your thing, then this might not be the book for you. But if you are looking for a book where you can let your nerd flag fly, and at the same time share lots of laughs with some really great characters with an even better friendship, The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You is a great book for you to grab.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**Playing Defense is the second book in the young adult Corrigan Falls Raiders series by Cate Cameron. I really enjoyed the first book, Center Ice. It was a cute hockey story. And Playing Defense is no different. I love me some hockey and I love me a good tutoring trope, so I knew that Playing Defense would be right up my alley. And it was. Playing Defense is a fun read.
Playing Defense is told in dual narrative between Chris and Claudia. And while their romance is great, they were only one of the relationships that I adored in this book. The friendships really shined as great examples of wonderful and supportive friends. I want to see more of this in young adult books. These kinds of friendships make me just as happy as a great romantic couple does.
Chris had me wearing a perma grin on my face the whole time I was reading. He is such a smitten kitten with Claudia, that you just cannot help but think he is beyond adorable. (Case in point: I am cheesing like an idiot right now, just thinking about some of the stuff he did/said.) Playing Defense can be read as a standalone, and each of the books deals with a different couple, I would recommend reading them in order just for the fact that all of the characters are so excellent and the books are so cute that you will want to read both of them.
Bottom line: If you like cute and fluffy romances, look no further than Playing Defense. It has everything you need in a young adult contemporary- great characters, a cute romance, and awesome friends.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Playing Defense is told in dual narrative between Chris and Claudia. And while their romance is great, they were only one of the relationships that I adored in this book. The friendships really shined as great examples of wonderful and supportive friends. I want to see more of this in young adult books. These kinds of friendships make me just as happy as a great romantic couple does.
Chris had me wearing a perma grin on my face the whole time I was reading. He is such a smitten kitten with Claudia, that you just cannot help but think he is beyond adorable. (Case in point: I am cheesing like an idiot right now, just thinking about some of the stuff he did/said.) Playing Defense can be read as a standalone, and each of the books deals with a different couple, I would recommend reading them in order just for the fact that all of the characters are so excellent and the books are so cute that you will want to read both of them.
Bottom line: If you like cute and fluffy romances, look no further than Playing Defense. It has everything you need in a young adult contemporary- great characters, a cute romance, and awesome friends.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs